The dynamic power range of many electro-optic systems is limited by the characteristics of current photodetector arrays. For example, in the disclosed embodiment wherein the electro-optic system is a Bragg cell spectrum analyzer, the dynamic range of the Bragg cell is over 50 dB, but the dynamic range of the photodiode array is limited to a 20 to 25 dB range in light power, primarily because of residual noise in the switching circuits which access the photodiode array. The limitations on dynamic power range are further complicated by the square law characteristics of the detectors which result in the requirement of an output electronic dynamic range of 50 dB to handle a 25 dB range of input light power. Because of this requirement, an electro-optic system designed to fully utilize the 50 dB dynamic power range capability of a Bragg cell with a single photodetector array would require an output electronic dynamic power range of 100 dB, which, if at all possible, would be extremely difficult.